"That was bloody brilliant!" Harry exclaimed while walking with Allie on the way to Defense Against the Dark Arts. "I mean did you see his face!" Harry laughed with surprise. This girl was amazing!
Allie, with the assistance of one Draco Malfoy (unfortunately), successfully made a vile of Felix Felicis. Snape was furious but he didn't let it show. Harry couldn't wait to share this story with Ron and Hermione. They were rounding the corner to the DADA classroom when Harry said "You'll love Professor Lupin. He's a great teacher and a nice guy. He was friends with my dad when they were in school together."
Harry was excited to see his favorite teacher. Allie was excited to meet him, as well. Harry once again held the door open for her when reaching their destination. But she stopped dead in her tracks when she entered the classroom. This cannot be happening.
She smelt it the minute she walked in. That smell somewhere between a wet dog and and a sweaty football player. There was a werewolf in the room. She couldn't tell if it was dangerous or not, but she had her guard up. She looked around the room trying to find the creature, but it was all the same kids she had seen before. She never even had a whiff of the smell before that moment, which could only mean...
She shot her eyes to the front of the room only to find that the eyes of her teacher were staring back at her with the same shocked intensity. Professor Lupin was a werewolf. Of course, you didn't smell it before now because he wasn't at the Feast last night... It was a full moon.
Allie knew that there were different kinds of werewolves. She also knew that the kind that changed unwillingly were the worst sort. They caused the most damage. "Allie!" Allie only vaguely hear Harry call her.
"Come on I want to introduce you to Professor Lupin." Harry didn't even wait for her to answer he just grabbed her by the arm and led her to the desk that Lupin was standing next to. He didn't notice Harry at all. His eyes never left Allie.
"Professor I'd like you to meet Allie Cullen. She transferred here from Duchesne Academy in American. Professor Dumbledore told us she was wicked good at Defense Against the Dark Arts. Which I'm sure is true because he also said she was good at Potions and she showed Professor Snape that Dumbledore wasn't lying." Harry gloated as if he were a parent with one of those 'my kid is a honor student' bumper stickers. Lupin still had his eyes glued to Allie, Allie returned the gesture.
"Cullen, you say?" Oh crap. He's heard of me family. That's great.
"That's right sir. Cullen."
"Well nice to meet you, Miss. Cullen. Welcome to Hogwarts." His tone was anything but welcoming. Harry looked from one to the other trying to figure out what was going on.
"Yes, well we'll go find our seats now, Professor. We can talk later." Harry led Allie to an empty table right behind where Ron and Hermione sat. Allie could still feel Lupin's eyes burn a hole through the back of her head. They both sat and Harry started right on telling the pair about what happened in potions. Ron and Hermione seemed very eager to hear. Allie refused to look up. She knew the werewolf was still looking at her as if she were... a monster.
"Class. Welcome back to Hogwarts! I am pleased to be teaching you once again." Professor Lupin started. "Today I thought we would do a little review. I know we learned about Boggarts last year but I thought we could start today by going a little more in depth with them." Allie looked up. Lupin seemed to have forgot about her and focused on the lesson.
Allie knew, however, that this was not the case. "Miss. Cullen" she looked at her Professor. "Would you please explain to the class what a boggart is?"
"A boggart is a shape-shifter that takes the shape of it's victims worst fear. It likes to hide in dark, enclosed spaces. Since the boggart always shape-shifts no one knows exactly what it looks like when it is alone." For that answer Harry expected Gryffindor to be rewarded points. But none were given.
"That is correct. And what would you say your worst fear is Miss. Cullen?" Ah. That's were he was going with this.
Allie thought for a minute before answering. "My worst fear would have to be fear it's self"
"Interesting and why would you say that?"
"Because if there was no fear then what would we have to be afraid of?" All heads in the room were now turned to face her.
"How very wise of you. But I'm curious is there anything else you fear?"
"Clowns. And pixies." Everyone in the class started laughing. Allie kept eye contact with Professor Lupin. He had a surprised expression on his face.
"American pixies?" Allie nodded slowly and the laughter stopped. "Has any one here ever heard of American pixies?" All eyes turned to Hermione, who did not raise her hand. If Hermione didn't know then they must be very rare.
"American pixies are nothing like the Cornish pixies you know, class. They are vile and ruthless creatures. They stalk young women and kidnap them forcing them to become pixie queens and kill young men to drain their blood for food. They are dangerous and cunning."
Professor Lupin finished the class with a lesson on American pixies. But every so often his eyes would drift to Allie and glare.
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When the class ended everyone started to pack up and head to the Great Hall for lunch. Allie started to walk out with Harry, Ron and Hermione when she heard Professor Lupin call after her.
"Miss. Cullen would you please stay after for a moment? I would like to discuss the curriculum and how things work in my class with you." Discuss the curriculum, my ass. She agreed to stay and told the trio that she would catch up with them later and off they went.
Allie walked up to the front of the room where Lupin was leaning against his desk, his arms crossed. "It's funny" he started. "I thought the thing you would fear most would be a wooden stake." Allie pressed her lips together in a thin line.
"You never told us what you feared the most Professor. Is it the full moon perhaps?" Allie refused to back down. She would not let him get to her.
"How did you get in this school? If Dumbledore knew what you were..."
"Dumbledore knows." Lupin's eyes widened.
Allie sighed. "I have no quarrel with those of your kind, Professor. I don't want any trouble."
"Is it true? Are you really a Cullen?" Allie nodded in response. "I thought you all were killed by Voldemort 14 years ago?"
"Apparently not." Allie spat. She turned to leave the room. She did not want to relive what happened back then. It brought too much pain that she could not handle. She stopped right in front of the door and turned to look at her Professor with pleading eyes. "Don't tell any of the students, Professor. Especially not Harry." He shook his head to show that he would comply. She went to turn the handle only to be stopped once more.
"Why do you not have a problem with those like me?" Curiosity filled Lupin's voice.
She kept her eyes on the handle while answering. "Because I was raised by werewolves." She opened the door and stormed out of the room.